1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the conversion of cyanogen. In one aspect the invention relates to the conversion of cyanogen with an alcohol and water to a carbamate while in another aspect, the invention relates to the concomitant manufacture of dialiphatic, dialicyclic or diaryl imidocarbonates.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cyanogen (NC--CN) is a well known, industrial compound. It is easily prepared by any one of a number of well known methods of which slowly dropping a solution of potassium cyanide into a solution of copper sulfate and heating mercury cyanide are just two. Industrial uses include a heat source for welding and cutting metals, a fumigant, a rocket propellent and general organic synthesis. On the latter, Fahneustich, et al., Chemiker-Zeitung, 96, pp. 388-395 (1972), detail a number of reactions in which cyanogen is converted to some other useful product. However to date cyanogen has not been used to prepare carbamates or dialiphatic, dialicyclic or diaryl imidocarbonates.